The self-proclaimed Bunge la Mwananchi president Calvince Okoth alias Gaucho says the move by the government to increase marriage processing charges for Kenyan spouses by 1000 percent at the Attorney General’s (AG’s) office will encourage clandestine relationships.

Gaucho, a renowned activist and politician, argued the youth will pursue alternative ways of evading such expenses by deciding to stay together just to have kids.

“The move by the government to increase the marriage processing charges will affect the youth. Many will now adopt the come-we-stay marriage,” he explained.

Come-we-stay marriage is a marriage formation in which a man and a woman get together in a union that is not in the government and church records.

His sentiment came a few hours after the government in Gazette notice increased the marriage processing charges from Sh5,000 to Sh50,000.

“IT IS notified for the general information of the public that pursuant to Regulation 60 of the Public Finance Management (National Government) Regulations, 2015, the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning has granted to the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration the authority for the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services to revise charges and levies on its services,” the Gazette notice read.

On the other hand, Gaucho, who normally refers to himself as the ghetto president, condemned the move saying the government is just aiming at discouraging the youth from getting married legally.

“This means that the youths will just decide to move in together, have kids, and when the ‘wife’ dies, the man rushes to pay something small to the lady’s family just to show appreciation,” Gaucho noted.

He also added that many people in the country are currently grappling challenges associated with the high cost of living and that raising such charges will just make people continue living in poverty and dire want.